Biden spoken to lawmakers on rail strike: White House

STORY: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that a potential rail strike was "unacceptable, because of the impact that it would have on jobs, and families, and farms, and businesses and communities across the country."

More than 400 groups on Monday called on Congress to intervene in an ongoing railroad labor standoff that threatens to idle shipments of food and fuel and strand rail travelers while inflicting billions of dollars of economic damage.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other national trade groups warned impacts of a potential strike could be felt as soon as Dec. 5.

A rail traffic stoppage could freeze almost 30% of U.S. cargo shipments by weight, stoke inflation and cost the American economy as much as $2 billion per day by unleashing a cascade of transport woes affecting U.S. energy, agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and retail sectors.